	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2019

Johanna Konta

Wimbledon, London, England

J. KONTA/K. Siniakova

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your serving was fantastic today. How do you assess your performance out there?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think, yeah, no, I definitely felt like I served well today. I felt like I actually served quite well in my first match, as well. I think on a surface like grass, that definitely can always help.

I think overall I was just pleased with, again, how I handled my opponent today. She's very tricky to play. Her balls are quite tricky. She's a very good player, tough player to play.

I was just pleased I was able to ask her enough questions and keep things moving for her not to be able to get a real grip on the match. Just was pleased I was able to come through.

Q. You said after it didn't feel like particularly a quick match. On the clock, it was. Why did it not feel quick?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think it was just a tough match. She was a tough opponent. I think it felt like there was a lot of tennis played I guess in a short space of time, and therefore it didn't feel quick.

Q. You reached the semifinals here two years ago. Where do you think your level is compared to when you made that run?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't really compare myself to myself. I think I'm in a good place right now. I think I'm playing good tennis. I'm definitely enjoying the tennis I'm playing. I feel like I'm asking my opponents a lot of questions. I feel like I'm answering quite a few, as well, when they ask me questions out on court.

I mean, I think I've been kind of building on my level each tournament, each match I've been playing as the season has been going. I'm pleased with that. We know it's never just an upward trajectory. Just overall really glad that I came through a tough match today. Just looking forward to being in the third round.

Q. After the first game, you had a conversation with the umpire. We heard you say, Sorry, it was a random question. What was the question?
JOHANNA KONTA: It was a random question.

Q. What was it to do with?
JOHANNA KONTA: It was just to do with, I was just curious where the service speed gun.

Q. The radar?
JOHANNA KONTA: The radar. I couldn't see it. It was down in the corners, but it had the scores on. Then it came up, I don't know, after.

Q. Is that something you're superstitious, you need to know where that it is?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I was just curious. I noticed I didn't see it. That's why it was a random question.

Q. When you play a match, do you look for that sort of thing?
JOHANNA KONTA: Not particularly. It was just a random question.

Q. You wish you hadn't asked it now.
JOHANNA KONTA: Not really. Because it was my question. I just think you guys are going to make a big deal about it.

Q. It's unusual for you to talk to the umpire at that early point in the match.
JOHANNA KONTA: Not really. Whenever I have a question, I ask it, yeah. Yeah, yeah, just a random question.

Q. Sloane Stephens next. When you're playing a top player like that, how much of a benefit is it to know you have a good record against her in the past?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think records don't necessarily mean a lot when you step out onto the court at the beginning of the match. I think Sloane is one of the best players in the world. She's a Grand Slam champion, another Grand Slam finalist.

She's an incredibly good player. I think for me to have won our three encounters so far, there's very little in that. Because every time we step out onto the court, it's 50/50.

I think more than anything, I'm looking forward to playing her again. I like playing really great players. I like playing, yeah, just big matches like that. Just looking forward to sharing the court with her again. It is a nice change playing her on the grass this time. We're kind of going through all the surfaces, which is fine.

Q. You've not dropped a set, seems to be going quite smoothly. Is that a big boon for you, the fact you've not been dramatically tested in a long game so far, all gone quite smoothly?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I think that either comes or doesn't, depending on the matches played. I definitely felt like I have been tested in the matches I've played. Obviously not a massively long three-hour battle, that's true.

But the tests, they always come. The challenges, they always come in every match. I'm just pleased I was able to deal with them when they came for however big they were, however small they were. Just pleased to make it to the third round this year. Looking forward to another match.

Q. On Saturday you'll be one of three Brits playing in the singles. How nice is it to have that? Is it nicer for you not to be the only one, to share that?
JOHANNA KONTA: I saw Harriet won.

Q. And Dan.
JOHANNA KONTA: And Dan. That's really good.

I mean, I don't necessarily think of it in a broad kind of perspective like that. I'm really pleased for them. I think for any player who is getting to the third round of a Grand Slam, that's always a massive achievement. It's a massive achievement for me.

So I'm really pleased for them and myself, for us to be still in the tournament, still going at it.

Q. With Sloane, a long-time record doesn't mean much. These games have been very recent. She left this very stage saying she's going to have to try something different. There must be psychologically some sort of advantage and do the exactly the same and it's worked before?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, not really for me. Again, like I answered that gentleman's questions in the same way, I don't see it like that for me. For me, when I go out into the match, it's obviously what I do take from having played her recently is that I've got a fresh take on what her ball is like, what it's like to be on court against her.

In terms of the challenges that come in the match, they will be different than they were in Paris, Rome or Brisbane. One, we're playing on a different surface. Two, we're constantly adapting, trying to find different ways to challenge each other.

Like in every other match I've played her this year, it's going to be a tough match. There's no guarantees for it to go my way and no guarantees for it to go her way. I'm just looking forward to playing that game.

Q. Chris Evert was left speechless by your performance again Stephens in the French Open. What do you recall of that particular match?
JOHANNA KONTA: I thought I played well. I definitely played a very good match. I think I played a consistently good match, which made it difficult for Sloane to get a hold into the match, get any momentum. I think that probably made it tough for her.

But, yeah, that's about it. I'm not very good at, like, fully analyzing. I don't really fully analyze my matches.

Q. How do you feel when the greats of the game are saying it's one of your best performances? Must give you goose bumps, I'd imagine.
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, definitely. I mean, it's always nice to have compliments, I guess. For someone who has been there, done that, is one of the greatest champions we've had in the game, I mean, for sure it's nice to have a compliment from her.

Q. Today you looked incredibly comfortable out there. Is it beginning to feel like a home rather than a daunting place to play tennis, which it is for most of the players?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think you ever fully feel comfortable out on any center court really. I look forward to being out there. I look forward to the stage.

Probably the day I feel comfortable is probably the day I'm going to stop playing because I think it's important to have a little bit of those jitters, of those nerves, that excitement, yeah, to kind of bring out and try to bring my best level to the court.

Yeah, I mean, I never take it for granted. I think it's always a privilege to be out on Centre Court here or Court 1 or any court really here at The Championships.

Q. You must look at your opponent's face, who is not used to playing there, this must be worse for them?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think it's bad for anyone.

Q. In terms of the nerves and sense of occasion.
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, again, I don't know. You need to ask her how she felt on court. I think from the match itself, actually felt that she was pretty comfortable out there. She beat Naomi on Philippe Chatrier in Paris. My opponent today is very comfortable on big courts, is able to put nerves aside or deal with them in her own way, that's for sure.

Q. When Siniakova fell over the first couple games, what did you think? She looked like she was injured. Does that say something about you, that ruthless nature? She had fallen over and you still put it away for the match.
JOHANNA KONTA: You're making me sound like a cold-hearted bitch (laughter).

Well, the first time she fell over, I thought she was crying. She was actually laughing. That's why I started smiling. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, is she crying? I saw her shoulders move but couldn't see her face. She was laughing. I think she was just laughing at herself.

The last time I wasn't sure. I saw she was upset. I don't know if it was a combination of just falling over in the same place and coming to the end of the match. I'm not sure. But she fell over quite far in my peripheral vision. I knew she was down, but I wasn't sure if she was going to get back up. I still had a ball to hit kind of thing.

Q. Could you tell her body language looked negative once she hurt herself? Were you aware of her?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I wasn't. I didn't really feel anything in the match in her movement or anything that she seemed to be hindered. I didn't see that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297